Archives: Wimbledon 2008, Day 5

Top of the morning to you. So, the rains are finally here in Jolly ole England. For the first time in 5 days rain has cometh at the All England Club, a very unusual feat. Not the rain, the fact that it has been five days without rain. I am sure many players wish there was rain earlier as they would have loved a much cleaner start. When I left home, all courts were covered and no big names were playing save Vaidasova and Kuznetsova. Oh yeah Chatzedave (sp) too. Rog was set to play at Centre Court but is awaiting the end of the showers. Serena is set to play Amelie later on.

Nevertheless, there is much to talk about from yesterday’s play. WOW. Thus far on the men’s side the 3, 4 and 6 seeds are out. The lone American on the men’s side is Bobby Reynolds. There is not much I can say for him other than he is in the third round of Wimbledon. There is much to be done for the Americans both on the women’s and men’s. The Williams sisters are the lone voice for American tennis. They are on the Olympic team along with Blake. Andy opted not to play citing he wants to be prepared for the US Open. Brother go play in China cause your style of preparing has not been doing much for you at all. Perhaps a change might do you good. Andy plays a lot better for the US under Davis Cup than elsewhere. I am baffled by his decision. But then again, aren’t we always baffled by Andy. I must say, that since he left Reebok for Lacoste, things have not been going so hot for him. Every major since then, he has been defeated in a most embarrassing fashion. HE NEEDS A NEW GAME PLAN.

In the press conference, he stated that he choked. I agree, however, this is tennis, best of five sets. You are not supposed to choke. This is not figure skating, gymnastics, diving or one of those one hit/shot sports. There is no clock in tennis. Andy had ample time to adjust his game. As much as I am not a fan, I don’t know, I like the guy in a way and I would love to see him do well. Not beat Roger of course, but still. There is potential there. I think he needs to go seek out the Dahli Lama or something. Go on a spiritual quest. Kabala perhaps. I am sure he can call up Madonna or something. Tina Turner for some Buddha. Even perhaps a little Jesus cause Andy at times on the court, looks like you need a hug and a prayer.

Anyway, Alla Kudryavtseva beat Maria Sharapova and isn’t she a little cocky one. She was like I knew I could win. I came out there to win. Get this, she added “I didn’t like her outfit so, I wanted to beat her” Can you believe this little one? Big talk. She is a bit too cocky. However, she beat Maria. Alla K however, has forgotten that the upset of a big name player is no indication of that player going on to greatest. Many top players have lost to unknowns, and usually those unknowns remain unknowns. Alla K, you also perhaps may need to speak with someone about the serious acne problem on your face. Proactiv perhaps. You got the money for it. You are in the third round of Wimbledon. So fix your face. Being cocky and ugly is not a good combination.

Archives: Wimbledon 2008, Day 4

Good morning to all. Hope you are having a much better day and that your current disposition is unlike the weather outside but I digress…to Wimbledon we go.

Thus far, I know that Venus is through to the third round. Her forehand was wildly off this morning. It made me even more ill as I watch her trying to get a ball over the net when played to her forehand. However, in true Venus style she remained steadfast to the task at head despite the many errors. 7-6, 6-2.

Nadal lost the first set 7-5 to the hard serving/hitting Goublis from Romania. He took out James Blake at the French Open in what was called an upset. (I think that word has been used a bit too lightly when it comes to American men on the red stuff) Anyway I am not sure how it goes in the second but I do know that Nadal broke him. Just got a recent update…..Nadal won in four 5-7, 6-2, 7-6, 6-3. He is through.

Mikhail Youzhny from Russia won as well.

As of right now, only two American men (Andy and James who is currently playing Schuttler) are left in the draw as Jimmy Levine (certainly not the famous American conductor and artistic director at the Metropolitan Opera House) went out to Jurgen Meltzer in 5 sets.  Valiant effort nonetheless but got blown out in the fifth 6-1. Benjamin Becker who took out the Russia 4th seed Nikolay Davydenko is out. Davydenko addressed allegations of match fixing in his exit press conference stating that in the crowd during the infamous match (not at this tournament but another in the past) were a lot of Russian speaking watchers. Perhaps they heard him telling his entourage that he is in pain and was seriously considering getting out of the match. They then made the necessary calls and placed bets. I don’t know what to say about the matter. However, the ATP has not found anything to say about the guy. It is crazy to think that every time a top ranked player loses to a nobody that match fixing should be implied. I mean seriously??? Seriously??

James Blake in a battle with Rainer Schuttler as they are a set a piece and starting the third set.

Tamarine Tanasugaren (veteran from Thailand) took out a recent resurging Vera Zvonevera. The Thai is a competent grass court player so no real surprise. I believe she got to the 4th or quarters at the All England Club once before.

Safina is all even last check and Robredo is down 2 sets to Tommy Haas who is sporting a new haircut. It doesn’t do much for the fact that he doesn’t have a real visible neck. I like to call him (Head and Shoulders) Perhaps the German picked up the dandruff shampoo company as an endorsement.

SharkBoy aka Radek Stepanek I believe went out to Serb, Troikic.

There has been much talk of her new outfit, the tuxedo pant bit which, she states is “traditional”. However, in a recent photo caught while on court, perhaps she meant, traditional for the men. I don’t know what to make of this pic other than to say perhaps MariO Sharapov.

Traditional??

Nadal’s through but dropped the first set. Youzhny, Kiefer, Melzer and Clement are all through.

Venus, Dulko, Erakovic, Martinez-Sanchez, Wozniacki and Tanasugarn all advanced.

Archives: Wimbledon 2008, Day 3

This may be one of the most interesting Wimbledons ever.

As of today, both the number 3 and 4 seeds on the men’s side are out. That’s right in just two days both Novak Djokovic (who was slated to be placed in the finals overcoming the Roger Express) was taken out or should I say snuff by the big man from Russia, Marat Safin 6-4, 7-6, 6-2. I watched the earlier part of that match this morning and I knew that Novak was not ready for Rog in any shape or form. Apparently he was not even ready for Marat. Marat now has a 2-0 head to head over Novak as he took him out also at the 2005 Aussie Open en route to the title. I know the Serbian has loads of fans but I am not one of them. He is a good player but I detest his sportsmanship during matches as well as off the court.

Of course Brad Gilbert and the host of other cacklers of ESPN had Novak on top of a pedestal but as per the usual, they were made to look like idiots.

Davydenko the 4th seed went out in straight sets.

Nicole V. She had a tough match as she lost 9 straight games. Vaidosva can perhaps blame her recent bad form to dating Radek Stephanek aka Shark Boy. His last ex girlfriend, Martina Hingis dropped in the rankings and also got caught with cocaine. So, girl, cut your loses and dump the ugly boy.

Elena D. advanced. Hopefully her serves hold together as she has some monster ground strokes.

Serena leads the first set 2-1

Bartoli, last year’s finalist won the first set

Gonzalez lost his match (?). The 2007 Aussie Open finalist is currently suffering from the Aussie Open finalist syndrome. Get to the finals and then drop off after that. Let’s count the victims, Thomas Johansson, Marat Safin, Rainer Schuttler, Tsonga.

Oh how I wish I were home watching the matches. FYI If you have Verizon as an internet provider, you can see the matches on replay at ESPN 360 as well Euro 2008 matches. You can see the full matches. Unfortunately for me I have Cablevision which does not allow access to the website.

Archives: Wimbledon 2008, Day 2

Yesterday at Wimbledon. There was no rain, which is big news at the All England Club.

The big names went through relatively easy for the most part. Roger, Serena, Ana, Kuznetsova, Novak etc. There were no major upsets save David Nalbandian (aka Roger’s former nemesis from Argentina) who lost to Canadian Frank Dancavic (I think I got  the spelling wrong but he made it to the finals of a Master’s series hard court tournament last summer, In Canada I believe) Anyway, David went out like a candle in the wind.

As for today, Venus is through 7-6, 6-1. When I left home, no other matches were completed as far as I know. Tommy Haas was leading Guermillo Canas 2 sets to one. My inside source tells me that Canas is set to retire with a muscle/ankle cramp. Something of that sort. Nadal is getting ready to play now I believe after Venus. More scores would be noted. Andy Roddick as well as his former girlfriend Maria Sharapova are also slated to play today.

As for Wimbledon fashion. Venus’s new dress is not to my liking but I have heard talk that it is nice and elegant. Roger came out with a beige cardigan. Brother come out of the closet. I thought it was a bit much but it looked cool. I think he believes he is up to play cricket and not tennis. Of course the white leather bag was in tout. Roger, I swear wouldn’t I love to raid your closet. Serena came out in a white leather raincoat. Didn’t she get the weather report. However, the hairdo was banging. Maria is set to wear shorts this year, saying she is going more traditional. May I ask who was her History teacher, Paris Hilton? Shorts were traditional attire for women in tennis for what era? 1990’s, 1980’s?? Traditional?? Someone help the sister out. Give her a graham cracker so she can keep her beak shut.

I want to take a moment to note a very interesting storyline I heard today while watching the tennis. Everyone knows I am a HATER and I hate the ESPN tennis commentators mostly because I want the job…….seriously I want any job besides this one….Nonetheless, it seems that it has become a new craze to be popping Viagra in order to boost performance. (How/Why?) Well the thing is that Viagra is use to increase blood flow to the penis. Well you get the idea. Any with increase blood flow comes more oxygen to the muscles slowing down the buildup of lactic acid in the muscles. (I think that sounds just about right. Any bio majors here?) Well anyway supposedly Yankee Roger Clemens got caught with a bunch of the blue pills. Perhaps as he is so heavily on steroids, his penis really needed the pills but I would say no more on that end. Well now the world of sport medicine and anti-doping agencies are looking into the matter to rule out if there is any real performance enhancement to the blue devils) WOW, so check out the crotches of men to see if they have a hard on all throughout the game.

I also heard Brad Gilbert saying that players should play through their injury like Tiger did at the US Open. Pam Shiver not to be outdone by Mr. Gilbert stupidity decided to show her dumb card by saying, perhaps the younger players need a role model/martyr type figure from the older generation to finish a match with injury to follow. I was in serious distress at this point. Seriously?? Seriously?? Tiger Woods, the love of Roger Federer’s life, may have seriously jeopardized the rest of his career for his 14th major. Yeah, we can all talk about how amazing it was, but in the end, was it really worth it? People like Brad Gilbert who actually coach people as well as Mary Jo Fernandez, the next Fed Cup captain for the US, was going on about how too many players are retiring. Bud Collins, the elderly statesman of tennis said, we should get rid of first round prize money. Yeah they are being paid for these opinions. Apparently in golf, in you don’t make it to the weekend, i.e. make the cut after the first two rounds, you get no money. These esteemed commentators believe tennis should be like this to prevent early retirement from a match. Do they know how expensive it is to maintain a tennis career? Most players on the tour make the more money just for being in the first round than they do for the rest of their year’s efforts. How can you talk about getting rid of prize money? I guess it is easy for them to say that now that they have finished their careers. Also consider they are also envious because the players are making way more than they ever did. Anyway I could devote a book at these fools ESPN hire but I digress. So until tomorrow…Remember comments are appreciated.

Archives: Wimbledon 2008, Day 1

The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club would be having their annual major tennis event aka Wimbledon starting today. For those who are unaware, grass is the playing surface and Roger Federer is the man to beat. There is much talk about how he is vulnerable but we shall see. I left him at home, having already won the first set against Hrbaty. Serena was playing but apparently Mary Jo Fernandez thought it best that I watch Kevin Kim play instead. Nevertheless here are the updates thus far.

Roger won the first set.

Juan Carlos Ferrero was up on Sam Querry the 6’6″ American

Marcos Bagdatis was leading I forgot who he was playing

I believe the American Spadea was tie with the Swede Johansson

Nicole Vaidasova was already in the second round.

Serena is playing but I am not sure about the score other than it was 1 game all.  I would try to get to my connections to update on the results.

The story of the tournament is will Roger get to number 13 and a 6 consecutive Wimbledon. Brad Gilbert has predicted a Novak vs. Nadal finals with Andy Roddick being the spoiler.

As for the women, the draw is interesting with the Williams sisters, the most dominant grass court players of this tennis generation on opposite side of the draw as well as the Serbs. The crown is for the taking, who wants it bad enough will win. I don’t see nothing but spectacular tennis to take the ladies’ title.

Send all questions and comments. They are all appreciated.

PS. There will be no Roger Federer bashing. There is a zero tolerance for that sort of behavior.

Archives: Epilogue French Open 2008

It is with a heavy heart and deep deep sorrow that I write this column. This has been a bad French Open for me. It is even worse for me because even if I tried to ignore the English version of the coverage, I speak French so it wouldn’t have helped. Paris is one of those cities that I want to visit but as of yesterday, I think I would be booking a ticket for Berlin and Rome before I set foot in Paris.

I have been relatively quiet all French Open long mainly because of the lack of coverage. I would usually give daily updates and match analysis. However, I have been so deprived of tennis this grand slam that I would dear say that it was perhaps a conspiracy by the Tennis Gods to deny me coverage. Hence, I couldn’t cheer on my favorites and give them the good luck charm and coaching advice that they so desperately needed out there on the Terre bateau (clay).

The road to hell is paved with good intention and with that being said I would like to say the Tennis Channel was a good idea but it has done nothing but cause hell for tennis fans here in America. They buy up all the rights to tournaments and deny regular folks access as it is rarely if ever part of the basic packages of cable providers.

Anyway enough about that. The tennis. The Williams’ sisters were poise to go deep in the draw this year. Even though they were on the same side of the draw, they would have met in the semi-finals. Everyone expect them to face the Serbs. However, the sisters had another plan in mind. They decided to do their own thing and leave Paris early losing to nobodies in the 3rd or 4th rounds. Now don’t ask me why or how but they did. Serena left early and Venus left just after. It is with Serena that I am most disappointed with as she was playing excellent tennis coming into the tournament. Maria went out like a candle in the wind despite having Safina against the ropes. Again, it is said time and time again, Maria is a very competitive player. However, she lacks some basic tennis skills. She screams and grunts her way through matches and clearly that fails to get her over the hump when she needs to. She is also not comfortable being the favorite at all. In nearly all matches when she is playing a top ranked player and she is favored to win, she loses.

Anyway Ana Ivanovic won the title and she is now the new “IT GIRL”. Congrats. She made it to three major finals and deserved the win. Safina needs to learn to be “gentile” like a lady. She came across as being so “less than girly” during the trophy ceremony. She has the same mannerism of her brother Marat. I have seen her in person, and I swore it was Marat in drag. I wouldn’t say all this to her face though because she looks like she can take me out in a hurry.

The Men’s. There were no real surprises in the men. Davydenko went out early so perhaps that’s a bit surprising. However, Roger and Rafael got to the finals yet again for the third straight year. Anyone who knows me knows I love two things in life, Roger Federer and opera. Roger is born two days after me and in my mind, we are forever bind by the stars. I have been a Roger fan since Roger had a bad haircut and was a gangly teen. I was with Roger before he became fashion conscious, before $800 haircuts, white leather man bags, white blazers, through thick and thin. I was with Roger when he beat my other tennis love Pete Sampras at Wimbledon. I was with Roger. Rarely has he failed to disappoint me. However, yesterday on the red clays of Paris, Roger almost brought this grown man to tears, a remarkable feat considering I have no feelings. My neighbors probably thought me mad as I screamed obscenities at the television screen. I would have booed Roger Federer if I had a ticket to that finals because what I saw on display was nothing but utter nonsense (I have other choice words to describe Roger but I think the e-mail may not go through)

Roger is going backwards. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was with Mary Carrillo (another rare feat) when she said, “Roger is too good of a player to not do something” Roger did nothing. All credit and apologies to Nadal. I accused him and the Spanish tennis federation of asking Almagro and Verdasco of punking out of the matches so that Nadal can get to the finals. He blitzed those players as if there were mosquitoes in his paths. However, Nadal is really that good on clay. To be honest, Nadal was great. Nadal tore through the draw as if he were playing on the WTA Tour. He was absolutely astounding. His service game, return game, forehands, backhands, volley. The Spaniard had it all. It was tennis at its best. There was not a single thing that could have been done better or worse. His style of play is tailor made for the clay. Watching Nadal’s clay court game makes you believe that man was truly made from clay. He is GOD LIKE on the stuff.

Roger punked out so much during that match I don’t know where to begin. In the very first game, Roger had three easy forehands at net. This is where Roger was invincible but Roger threw them all away. It was embarrassing. The crowd wanted the real Roger to show up so badly. However, Roger like the Williams’ sisters felt it best to disappoint. Words cannot describe the shock at Roger Federer going down 6-0 in the final set of any tournament final let alone a major final. Roger has done this to so many players give them the bagel. So, I guess it can be said one good turn deserves another. However, this is Roger Federer, the GREATEST tennis player and my boo who went out like a punk. Perhaps like Pete Sampras, the clay of Roland Garros would be his Achilles but Roger is too good of a player to not win that trophy. I cannot deal with another year of Nadal putting his teeth on that trophy. Roger is getting further and further from winning at the French yet Nadal is getting closer and closer to getting Wimbledon. Let’s see if Roger can rise from the ashes for this Roger fanatic cannot deal with another Roger disappointment.